Goa candidate omits unpaid loans in affidavit

Panaji, April 7 (IANS) Jitendra Deshprabhu, the Congress party candidate from North Goa, has not stated in his affidavit that he owes Rs.15 million to two banks. He says the loan was taken by his company, not by him. Deshprabhu was booked by the Crime Branch in 2003 following a complaint from the Mapusa Urban Co-operative Bank (MUCB) for mortgaging the same tract of land to avail loans from two different banks including the MUCB.

Bank records show the total dues Deshprabhu owes MUCB are to the tune of Rs.9.5 million.

Bank officials told IANS that the case booked under section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code is being tried by a magistrate in Mapusa. The next hearing is scheduled April 10.

“We have received a request from Deshprabhu requesting the bank to drop the criminal charges. The bank has no problem doing that provided he pays up the amount,” a bank official said.

In another case involving the Goa State Co-operative Bank (GSCB), Skypak Plantations Pvt Ltd, owned by Deshprabhu and his brother Devendra, the Congress candidate owes the bank over Rs.5.6 million in outstanding dues.

While the 53-year-old Deshprabhu’s cumulative dues owed to the two banks are Rs.15 million, his financial statement submitted to the returning officer puts his personal assets at Rs.600 million.

Deshprabhu said he sticks by what he has stated in his affidavit.

“I have nothing to hide,” Deshprabhu told IANS. “The cases in which I have been charged personally have been mentioned in the affidavit.”

Deshprabhu’s affidavit shows three criminal cases have been filed against him, two of which involve forgery and one of criminal intimidation.